Refrigerating apparatus



Feb. 28, 1928.

L. L. TORREY REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 13, 1926 Feb. 28, 1928.

L. L. TORREY REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet '2 Filed Jn. 15, 1926 Feb. 28, 1928.

L. L. T ORREY REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 118d Jan 13 1926 Q Q d m v Patented Feb. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUCIEN L. mommy, or os ANGELES, cann'oann. mmonnarme arrnna'rus.

Application filed January 13, 1926. Serial No. 80,766.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerating apparatus'and more particularly to assemblages of apparatus for mechanical refrigeration in which all moving elements are enclosed, and in which a simple and rugged unit is provided for the pro duction of cold.

Accordin to this invention, a pair of casings are bolted together to provide a container having an annular chamber surrounding it. The mechanical elements and the lubricating oil for these elements are disposed within the container. The mechanical, compressor receives expanded refrigerating gas from this container, and delivers it heated and under pressure to the annular chamber. This gas is then cooled by appropriate means and condenses and collects as aliquid at the bottom of this annular chamber. From this chamber, the liquid refrigerant ,is forced by differential pressures through a liquid discharge pipe to an expansion valve, in which it is released to form a gas and to absorb heat: and in such form passes a chilling coil or the like located in the receptacle to be chilled. Upon passing the chillln coil, the gas returns again to the interior 0 the container, thus completing its cycle, and being ready for a further compression.

By virtue of this system, the lubricating oil and condensed refrigerant never come into contact with each other, and an emulsion of lubricant and refrigerant cannot be produced.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of means by which the mechanical assemblage with its enclosing tanks may be shut off from the external piping, and the several chambers having different pressures may be shut off from each otherand 'the atmosphere, so that the refrigerant may be wholly withdrawn from the container above referred to and delivered into other chambers of the system, so that the container may be opened for the inspection and repair of the mechanical elements without the release or loss of substantial quantities of refrigerant to the atmos here.

In connection with this a ility to continue the use of the same original quantity of refrigerant for long periods of time, regardless of'repairs or inspections of themechant cal elements, the present invention provides a further feature in that all connections between the inside and the outside of the refrigeratmg unit, to wit: the inlet and outlet pipes for refrigerant, the wiring for electrical power supI ly to the drivin motor, and the test coc are all connecte to and establish communication through a ring which is rigidly connected to the container weakened by the passage of the conduits for the electrical energy or for the refrigerant; nor are these conduits permanently connected with the cover to require removal therewlth. Furthermore, no additional flanges or lates are required to be bolted to the tan s to receive these conduits. The par ticular arrangement of all the valves and packings upon the port ring makes it pos sible to replace these as a unit, or to repair them at t e shop without the necessity of later insertion and packing, which has often heretofore permitted leaks todevelop.

One exam 1c of execution of this invention has been il ustrated on the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section through a refrigerating unit of this type, showing the assemblage of the tanks, the mechanical elements, the port ring, and a cover.

' Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the port ring, with the various connections indicated.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section of the top (E f such a unit, substantially on line 33 of Figs. 4 and 5 are sections showing details of valve construction and are taken substantially as represented by lines H and 5-5 respectively, on Fig. 2.

The inner tank 10 and the outer tank 11 are connected together by cap screws .17 at their respective top flanges 12 and 13, to

nular chamber, and may be supplied with cooling water through any a propriate means, connected to inlet and out et connections, one of which is represented at 15.

The inner tank 10 constitutes a container for the mechanical elements of the refrigerating system, which consist of the electric driving motor 16 and the gas compressor, to-

ether with the requisite transmission and earing connections for these, such as the coupling sleeve 18, the transmission shaft 19, the worm 20, and the thrust bearing 21. The compressor is driven by this worm 20 and has the operative elements of a worm gear 22, the crank or eccentric shaft 23, the connecting rods 24, the pistons 25, the inlet valves 26, the outlet valves 27, and the frame or casing sections 28, 28.

A gear pump 29 for lubricant 1s connected to the shaft 23, and forces lubricant through a system of piping 30 to supply all pomts of the mechanlcal elements requiring such service and located above the normal lubricant level 31 in the container.

The compressor frame sections 28, 28 are formed also to -enclose the worm 20 and the thrust bearing 21,. for the sake of simplicity of construction, and the base 32 of the electrio motor is secured to aichamberedstand ard 33 which in turn is attached to the frame section 28 and to the port ring 34.

A port ring 34 is rigidly attached to the assembly of the two tanks by the ca screws 17 which pass through holes 17 of t e ring; and forms a hermetically sealed joint therewith. The refrigerant gas return pipe 35 leads to a threaded connection 36 in this rin 34, which opens into a chamber 36, wit the valve seat 36 in the bottom thereof. A valve stem 37 and valve head 37 are carried by the bushing 37 b in the port ring in proper operative closing relation to the valve seat 36", and have the packing gland 37 on the exterior. A passage 38 through the valve port leads the gas from the chamber 36 to the interior of the ring and the container 10.

The standard 33 is bolted to the port ring b cap screws 39 to form a'hermetic seal. 'l lie port ring has a passage 40 leading from the chamber of this standard 33 to a valve seat 40 and chamber 40". This valve seat may be closed by the valve head 41 which is mounted on a stem 41' passing to the exterior through the valve bushing 41*, and

having the packing gland 41. From the chamber 40 a passage 40 leads to the annu- /lar chamber between the tanks by communication through the hole 40 in the flange 12.

The electrical connections for supplying power to the driving motor 16 are .led from a suitable main as the wires 42 which enter the insulating plug 43 which is inserted in a passage through the port ring to form ahermetic seal' and is held in such position by the clamping bushing 44. The interior lead wires 45 conduct the current to themotor.

A small pi e 46 leads from the bottom of the annular ciamber 14, and therefore from below the level of condensed refrigerant therein, in an upward direction in this annular chamber, and is threaded into the flange 12 of the inner tank 10, to establish communication through the passage 47 in the conduct the compressed and liquefied refrigerant thereto as described heretofore.

A test valve of construction similar to that of the other valves described has a stem 51 and a packing gland 51 and head 51 and serves to afford or shut off communication between the interior of the container 10 and the atmosphere through a passage 51 formed in the port ring. A pipe or hose line 51 may be temporarily connected to the valve port ring at this point, so that the gas relieved through this valve may be conducted to any desired place.

The supply or filling valve is shown in Fig. 5 as having the head 60, the stem 60*, and passing through a packing gland 60 In its closed position, the valve head seals the seat 61 in the valve port ring to close communication between the passages 61, 61 in the ring and the aperture 62 in the flange 12 and hence the annular chamber 14, with the exterior or the pipe or hose line 63. For reasons of construction, the passage 61 is bored into the valve port ring from the interior, and its end then sealed by a plug 64.

A cover 52 is secured to the port ring 34 to form a hermetic seal therewith b means of the cap screws 53 which pass into the threaded holes 53. This cover has a recess 54 formedbn the inner side to assist in holding the mec i'cal elements in a predetermined alined position by engaging a stud 55 formed-on the end of the motor. A bolt 56 has likewise been shown forthis latter purpose as passing upward through the two tank bottoms and into a nut 57 on the interior of the inner tank 10, this nut forming an alining member for the frame section28.

When it is desired to dismount the ap paratus, the electric motor 16 is set into operation, and the return suction valve head 37 screwed down onto its seat 36", which may be done from the exterior by the valve stem 37. The discharge valve head 48 is brought down likewise onto its seat 47, to

the container 10 is thereby highly evacuated by the action of the compressor, and delivered through the standard 33 and through the valve seat into the annular chamber 14. The electric motor is then stopped and the valve head 41 is then screwed down onto its seat 40 to slmt off the communication between the container 10 and the annular chamber 14. independently of the compressor valves. Only a very small quantity of gas remains within the container 10: and the test cock may be opened by its stem 51 to relieve the vacuum in this container.

' The cap screws 53 may now be removed, and

the cover 52 lifted off. which affords immediate access for inspection to all parts of the mechanical elements. If necessary, the cap screws 39 may be removed, and the assembly of motor. compressor. oil pump, and their casing and frame sections may be lifted out of the container 10, for repairs.

The necessary repairs having been made, the assembly is replaced. and the cap screws replaced. The cover is screwed down, and the valves may now be reopened and the test cock reclosed to restore the refrigerant to the entire system.

If it is desired to remove the whole installation, the valve affording egress from the annular chamber is closed. the gas pumped out of the entire piping system and container 10 into the annular chamber 14. and then the valve between container 10 and the annular chamber 14 is closed by the stem 41. The other valves are now preferably closed, and the test cock opened. The piping may now be dismounted from the apparatus. and transported. with the refrigerant contained totally within the annular chamber. Very little refrigerant is lost to the atmosphere during this manipulation, since the piping system is evacuated before being disconnected.

After the parts have been again assembled in inverse order. a bottle containing refrigerant medium may be connected to the inlet connection by the pipe 51, and the gaseous medium pcrn'iitted to flow into the inner tank. The compressor is then started, and allowed to operate until all the air has been substantially evacuated from the inner tank and forced past opened valve which communicates by passage'60" with the chamber.

in the standard 33, through outlet pipe 63 to the atmosphere. The gaseous medium is then permitted to flow into the inner tank, while the compressor is being operated, and preferably while pipe 63 is immersed in water or the like to absorb-escaping gas. When air bubbles no longer accompany this escaping gas, indicating thatall air has been expelled from the tank, the compressor is stopped, valve 60 closed, then valve 51, the supply of refrigerant medium is shut off, and pipes 51 and 63 removed.- Valves 37,

41, and 48 are opened, and the apparatus is again ready for operation in the normal manner.

It is obvious that this invention is not restricted to the particular form of construction shown. but that any moditi 'ations may be made therein within the scope of the appended (.lflln lS.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a refrigerating apparatus, a container, a motor and acompressor located within said container, and in driving relation with each other, a ring in hermetic sealing relation with said container, and conduits to bring refrigerant to and deliver it from said compressor and passing through said ring, and means to hermetically close said ring andcontainer.

2. In a refrigerating apparatus, a container, a motorand a compressor located within said container, and in driving relation with each other, a ring and a cover,

means to assemble said container, ring and cover in hermetical sealing relation, conduits to bring refrigerant to and deliver it from said compressor and passing through said ring, and valves in said ring to close each of said conduits.

3. In a refrigerating apparatus, a pair of tanks presenting an inner container and a surrounding annular chamber, a ring and a cover to hermetically close said inner container, a conduitto return expanded refrigerant into said container, a conduit between said container and said annular chamber, means to force the refrigerant from said container through said conduit ,into said chamber, means to cause condensation of the refrigerant into a liquid form in said chamber. and a conduit to deliver the liquefied refrigerant from said chamber, all of said conduits passing through said ring.

4. In a refrigerating apparatus, a pair of tanks presenting an inner container and a surrounding annular chamber, a ring and a cover to hermetically close said inner container, a conduit to return expanded refrigerant intosaid container, a conduit between said container and said annular chamber, means to force the refrigerant from said container through said conduit into said chamber, means to cause condensation of the refrigerant into a liquid form in said chamber, and a conduit to deliver the liquefied refri, ;erant from said chamber, all of saidconduits passing through said ring, and valves in said ring to close each of said conduits.

5. In a refrigerating apparatus, a container, a motor and a compressor located in said container and in driving relation with each other, a ring and a cover hermetically closing said container, conduit means to sup- I 7. In a refrigerating apparatus, a pair of tanks presenting a container and a condensa- 16 tion chamber, a ring, means to hermetically seal said container and said chamber, and conduits to establishcommunication to and from said container and chamber and between them, said conduits passing through 20 said ring, and valves in said ring to close each 0t said conduits.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

LUGIEN L. TORREY. 

